Auto Accident Injury in Illinois
Have you suffered an injury due to a car accident in Illinois? If so, your life may never be the same again. Injuries from a car accident can interfere with your ability both to work and to enjoy everyday activities. They can also be incredibly painful. As such, you need an auto accident attorney who understands the laws in IL that will fight for your legal rights and help you receive the financial compensation you deserve.
Auto Accident Injury Statistics in Illinois
Auto accidents in Illinois are still a critical problem and are large in number each year. In 2023, the state had to deal with 1,169 fatal crashes and 1,269 deaths.
Illinois statistically averages about 285,000 crashes per year, and the vast amount of those crashes involve a deer, about 5.2%. Also, pedestrian fatalities are in 204, motorcyclist fatalities are in 160, and bicyclist fatalities are in 41. Speeding, distracted driving, and alcohol use are major contributing factors to these accidents. Speeding is a cause of 33.7% of all driving fatalities in the state of Illinois, and 22% of fatal crashes each year involve alcohol.
Receive Immediate Medical Attention
What is the most important step that you need to take after an auto accident? You need to receive immediate and proper medical treatment. You may believe that the injuries sustained after an auto accident are minor. Proper medical treatment helps ensure that you have not sustained any internal injuries that you may not be aware of.
File a Police Report
Even if no one sustained injuries, you still need to call 911 and request law enforcement assistance. When officers arrive, jot down each one’s name and badge number. Answer their questions honestly, but don’t volunteer any unasked-for information, especially your thoughts on exactly what happened or who caused the car accident. Be sure to ask the officers for the number of their police reports. Also ask when and where you can get a copy of it, including how much it will cost you.
If you are involved in a traffic accident that results in death, injury, or property damage exceeding $1,500, you are required to file a car crash report. There is a caveat to this law: If either of the parties involved does not have car insurance, the property damage threshold is lowered to $500. Your report must be filed within 10 days of the accident, and you can submit your form electronically or directly to the appropriate law enforcement agency.
Gather the Appropriate Documentation
While waiting for officers to arrive after a car accident, collect information from all other drivers involved in the accident, including the following:
- Full name, address, phone number and email address
- Driver’s license state and number
- Auto insurance company name, policy number and phone number
Use your cell phone to take pictures of each driver’s license, auto insurance card, your vehicle, and each additional vehicle involved in the car accident. Don’t rely on verbal communication. Having as much information as possible will only help you and your case later on. Try to keep this exchange as civil and friendly as possible. However, do not apologize for causing the accident or indicate in any way that you think you may have caused it.
Recovering Damages After an Auto Accident Injury
After surviving a car accident, the emotional and economic toll it takes can be staggering. You are not only dealing with the mental anguish that comes with being involved in a crash, but you may also be experiencing severe physical harm as well.
Common injuries associated with motor vehicle accidents include:
- Burn injuries
- Back and neck injuries, such as whiplash
- Brain and head injuries
- Broken bones
- Spinal injuries
- Soft tissue injuries
Hiring a car accident lawyer ensures you have the financial ability to cover any losses that have occurred as a result of a crash. An auto accident attorney will also help you handle the paperwork that you will have to complete from insurance companies. This boosts your odds of receiving the insurance compensation you deserve.
Auto Accident Laws in Illinois
Liability Laws for IL
When car accidents happen, it is essential to determine who bears responsibility for the resulting damage and medical bills. Determining fault impacts everything from your insurance claim and level of liability to the amount of confusion you may endure during the claims process.
If you are in a car crash in Illinois, you can be found 100% at fault for the accident. However, state law establishes the possibility that more than one driver may be assigned a percentage of fault in an accident through a comparative negligence statute. If someone files a claim for damages associated with the crash, the amount awarded is based on the defendant’s percentage of responsibility for the accident.
Statute of Limitations in IL
Each state has its own tort laws that determine the statute of limitations on a claim. In some states, this gives you just one year to file a claim in court, while some others may give you up to six years. The Illinois General Assembly’s Compiled Statutes, Section 13-202, indicates that anyone filing a lawsuit for a personal injury claim has two years from the date of the incident to do so. This is why it is important to consult with an attorney immediately after your car crash. Don’t wait and risk losing out on any compensation they can recover.
Work With an Experienced Auto Accident Lawyer In Illinois
After a car accident, you have enough to worry about. We can help you find an auto accident attorney for your unique case. Get the financial restitution that you deserve if you’re the victim of someone else’s conduct.
Submit a request online or call us today at (866) 345-6784 to get in touch with an experienced lawyer in IL!
About the Author
Aaron is a professional legal writer with a B.S. in English Education from Southern Illinois University – Carbondale. He has written, published, and edited thousands of legal articles for RequestLegalHelp, which has connected over 5 million people to legal help in the United States.
With over five years of experience writing thousands of legal articles for law firms across the U.S. and Canada, Aaron specializes in covering federal, state, and city-level legal issues ranging from auto accidents to wrongful terminations.
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